4 Things You Must Do to Prevent a House Fire

This entry was posted on April 13, 2016 by Scott Pendlebury.

One of the most important tasks of being a parent is keeping your family safe. That is why you should do as much as you possible to prevent a house fire from occurring. House fires take more than 2500 lives every year, and cause around $7 billion in damage costs. Therefore, making sure you're prepared in case of emergency is very important, and something you should invest and little time, money and effort into.

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1. Install Smoke Detectors

The first thing that comes to your mind when talking about fire prevention are smoke detectors. 2 out of 3 deaths due to fire are a result of not having smoke detectors installed. Furthermore deaths have also occurred when someone had smoke detector installed, but it did not signal in response to fire.

Therefore it is very important to install smoke detectors in multiple locations around your household, and check if they're working properly from time to time. This will include changing the battery once a year.

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2. Install Escape Ladders

Source: amazon.com

If your home has more than one level, installing escape ladders is a good idea. If there were to be a fire it is possible someone could get trapped in an upstairs room, and having escape ladders installed next to a window can be the difference between life or death.

It is recommended to have one of these installed next to every occupied room of your home. Make sure you choose the ladders with standoffs, as this will keep them separated from the wall. Standoffs increase the stability of escape ladders, and make them easier to use. After installation always test how much weight your ladders can hold.

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3. Invest in a Couple of Fire Extinguishers

The most effective way to extinguish a small fire is to use a fire extinguisher. It is a good idea to have at least one extinguisher on each level of your home. You should also ensure there is one kept in rooms where a fire is likely to start, e.g. the kitchen or garage.

After purchase it is also important to familiarise yourself with how to use the device. Finally, always remember that if the fire gets too big you should call 000, rather than trying to take measures into your own hands.

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4. Make an Escape Plan

In a large house fire you might only have as little as 30 seconds to escape. You don't want to waste this precious time thinking about where to run. Because of this you should always have an escape route planned. If you are unsure where to start you can turn to the experts in fire safety and have them make one for you. Once you have a plan, you and your family should rehearse it a couple of times, in order to be prepared if the actual fire starts.

Overall, you can never do too much when it comes to safety. Always make sure your fully prepared against emergency so you can minimise the risk of losing your home, or your family.